Interchangeable block billboard



Inveaz on G. W. ESCHENBACH INTERGHANGEABLE BLOCK BILLBOARD l.June 9, 1931.

Filed Aug. 22, 1929 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Efg MARK

P anoram Mul Hform Sign Compa nyfg/z Eschenbach 1y 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 ,ele 4 www a w www June 9, 1931.

G. ESCHENBACH INTERCHANGEABLE BLOCK BILLBOARD Filed Aug. 22, 1929 June 9, 1931. G. w. EscHENBAcH INTERCHANGEABLE BLOCK BILLBOARD 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Aug. 22

June 9, 1931. G. w. EscHENBAcH INTERCHANGEABLE BLOCK BILLBOARD Filed Aug. '22, 1929 5 sheets-sheet 5 Cove Pofn' Breakers Lookout?.

Pamt.

G'usavus WE@ chena ck. 5)

f as arrceys Patented June 9, 1931 PreNT oFFice GUsTAvUs W. ESCHENBACH, or Los ANGELES, CALIFORNIA INTERCHANGEABLE BLOCKv BILIIBOARD Application med August 22, '1929.Y Aserial No. 387,569.

This invention relates to a new and novel means for advertising, and the principal object isrto provide an apparatus in the form of a billboard that carries the advertising in '5 removable,replaceable units that are interchangeable one with the other or with other advertising Vsubject-matter on other units that in their various interchangeable positions are arranged to form complete panoramic views that can .cover part or the entire face of the billboard. To that end I provide a billboard structure that is adapted to hold a plurality of removable interchangeable units with subject-1natter arranged on their faces that at adjacent edges' matches so as to form panoramic views, pictures vor reading matter.

Another object is to provide an apparatus in the form of a billboard having removable box units interchangeable one with the other, each having films carrying the views, pictures and advertising arranged to match when moved or interchanged with means for intermittently moving the films so as to attract attention to they subject-matter on the billboard;

Another' object of the invention is to greatly increase thev usefulness of billboards as a medium of advertising by employing moving and lighting features so as to more effectively attract attention to the advertising subjectmatter. y n To that end I employ sheets of endless material on which the advertising matter is placed'with means for intermittently rInoving the sheets so as to present the ysubjectmatter in a new way as by changing the pictorial panoramic view so as to be unusually attractive and interesting and highly'artis tic. In other words the advertising subject matter is not necessarily changed when moved but is shown in a diHerent color or surrounded by a new pictorial view, it being vunderstood thaty the advertising can also be changed if desired.A

Another object ofthe invention is to,in crease the attractiveness o-f billboards by combining amoving film and stationary pictures in presenting the advertising matter s0 as to create in the mind of the observer a great interest. Tothat end -I employ endless films carrying the advertising matter with the films arranged in interchangeable'box units so that they pass between spaced glasses with scenes such as trees, houses, clouds and the like printed on the front glasses so that when the films are intermittently moved the objects thereon, such as animals, automobiles, airplanes and the like, appear to pass back of the objects painted on the glasses and in order to add a highly artistic effect to the apparently natural scene I employ natural color on the films and also have lamps back of the rear glasses that are semi-transparent so as to soften the light into a pleasing effect. It is understood that the brilliancy of the lights can be changed to suit various subjects requiring lights Aof a greater or less candle-power. An object is to provide a bill-board having a face formed of interchangeable, movable box units that can be interchanged and replaced by other similar box units to form other panoramic views with the advertising altered or changed with each b'oX unit adapted to be prepared in a plant ready to be attached to any bill-board of anykind and` interchangeable one bill-board with another.

A feature of the invention is shownV in the jointed connection of the films whereby sections can be taken out and interchanged or replaced with new sections so that the new or changed sections match with other sections at adjacent edges.

Features of invention are shown in the. construction, combination and arrangement of parts whereby a bill-board is provided that is of great usefulness in the art of advertising, that is highly attractive and artistic,'that also is easy to construct, assemble and oper` ate and is durable in use. y Other objects, advantages and features of invention may appear from the accompanying drawings, the subjoined detailed descrip tion and the appended claims.

The accompanying drawings illustrate the invention. Fig. 1 is a front View of a bill-board constructed in accordance with this invention, showing the various sized boX units insertible inthe compartments of thel bill-board and n semi-diagrammatically indicating the units as removable and movable, and indicating by feathered arrows the vertical and horizontal movements of the unit films.

Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic plan view of a movable film flattened out, this film being for the upper box unit shown in Fig. 1, and

showing lit with colored advertising sections.

Fig.` 3 is a view analogous to Fig. 1 and showing the box units all of a uniform size and having the advertising extended over a number of the upper box units, and showing a. panoi'amic picture extended over the lower rows of box units with advertising omitted. Fig. 4 is a semi-diagrammatic plan view of the films used in the upper box units of Fig. 3 showing the sections formed of different colors and decorated `with stars, omitting thetooth holes at the edges of the films.

Fig. 5 is a semi-diagrammaticside view of the bill-board shown in Figs. 1 and 3.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged fragmental staggered section yon the line 6-6 of Fig. 3, diagrammatically showing a means `for simultaneously and intermittently moving the films of the four rows of box units in a vertical direction. l n

Fig.r 7 is a fragmental semi-diagrammatic View of a film arranged between thel front and rear glasses of a box unit detached there from, illustrating how pictures or` advertising on lthe film can be moved so as to dis-Y appear behind figures or pictures painted on the front glass, andeshowing the film moving vertically. V y i Fig. v8 is a section on the line 8 8 of Fig. 'Tsho'w-ing the film betweenthe glasses.

Fig. 9 is a View analogous to Fig. 7 showing thelilm moving horizontally so as to move thepictorial advertising scenes on4 the film in behind pictorial scenes on the fron-t glass of a'box unit. y

Fig; 10 is a .section on the line 10-10v of Fig. 9, showing the film between the glasses.

Fig. 11 is a plan view of a fragmental portion ofa film showing the means of detachably connecting its sections together so that they can be removed and interchanged.

Fig. 12 is an enlarged fragmental section onthe line 12-12 of Fig. 1, showingv the film formed of sections and arranged to move horizontally.

` Fig.v 13 is an enlarged fragmental view of a portion of the film showing the clips for attaching the edgesof the film sections together. Y

Fig. 14 is an enlarged section on the line lll- 14, Fig. 13.

having interchangeable plates on which various panoramic views can be placed in connection with the advertising that can be fixed to the plates.

Fig. 16 is a section on thelineV 16-16 Fig. 15 is a front view ofV a bill-board to a bill-board.

Fig. 19 is an enlarged fragmental section on the line 19--19 of Fig. 15 showing one of the stud bolts for detachably securing the plates to the bill-board.

My improved bill-board includes the usual supports 20 on which a frame is erected that Yincludes a door 21, end walls 22, 23 that support the roof 24, and between the end walls I arrangevertical partitions 25 and horizontal partitions 26 that separate the space between the end walls, roof and floor into compartments 27 that can be uniform or varied as to size. In Fig. 1 I show the coinpaitment varying in size and into these spaces I extend the box units 28 that are in the form of film boxes thatcarry the pictorial panoramic advertising. f

The box units 28 can be detachably secured by screws 29 in the compartments, as indicated in Fig. 1, and also the bill-board can be provided with the usual wind braces 30, as indicated in Figs. 5 and 6.

The box units 28 are made to fit snugly in the various compartments so they can be easily secured in place by screws 29 or other well knownl fastening means so theyare removable or the purposes of changing their films, interchanging one unit with another or supplying new units to the board. It is understoodthat only .units of the same form and size are interchangeable with each other.

y In Fig. 1 the space in the top row is filled by asingle elongated box unit a that carries the advertising sign Panoram and associated 4.

words that is printed in the red, white, blue and yellow spaces shown in the endless film 31, diagrammatically indicated in Fig. 2, and this long unit cannot be interchanged with its associated units, but it can be replaced by a similar box unit carrying a different advertising film.

In the second row from the top I show a center elongated boxv unit 7) at the ends of which the interchangeable lbox units c and d are arranged, the center box unit not being interchangeable with any of the other boxes but can be replaced by a similar box unit.

In the third row from the top I also show a center unit c on opposite sides. of which ifiare the interchangeable units f and gg' and in the bottom row I show a centerY box unit 7L that is interchangeable. with the units c and CZ and the end box units and ,7' that are interchangeable with each other and also with ill) 'the center box e. It is obvious that all the box units in the billboard can be replaced with other units ofthe saine size having filn'iscar'- rying other advertising subject-matter, or the same subject matter presented with new panoramic pictures in other colors.

I provide means for intermittently 'moving the films 31 so as to show the sameadvertis; ing in a different color, or associated with a different panoramic view orto show the sub ject matter in a'diiferent way or also to show entirely new advertising, and ininoving the films they canall be actuated at substantially the same time and all moved in the vsame direction-if desired, but preferably the films in vsome instances Iare moved in different directions as indicated by the featheredr arrows. in F ig. 1. As seenl therein the films Aof the box units a, Z) and 7L are arranged to be moved upwardly, the film of the box unit e is arranged to be moved downwardly, the films of box units c, d, z' and y' are arranged vrto be moved horizontally and toward the center of the board, and the films of the box units f and g are arranged to be moved toward the ends of the board :so-that when the lms are lintermittently actuated they move in the vathe films a one-fourthl step each' time the' mechanism is actuated, so that VwhenV stopped they are in the right 'position to display the pictorial advertising. vThe film' 31'shown in Fig. 2 is provided with four sections colored, red, white, blue and yellow, which will be successively moved over the frontend of the box unit a. f

' The white stri'p32 of the film is shown on the Vfront of the box unit a, and if' moved a one-fourth step in the direction offthe 4feath`V ered arrows the blue strip 33 will be next to and red strips 34, 3 5.V` Y y It is understood that I may extend'the film so as to include many colorsin the advertising if desired. The mechanism for moving the films a one-fourth step Aintermittently is old and well understood in the art, and for that reason is not shown in detail, except that iny Fig. 6 I show acommon means for simultaneously moving the iilmsofall the box units in a vertical direction.

Each box unit is providedwith ashaft 36 secured in end bearing A37, and these shafts carry spur gears 38 that are arranged to mesh. with driving gears 39 on shafts V40 that extend from end to end of the 'bill-board.

Each shaft 40 carries a sprocket whee141 over which an endless chain 42 is extended that is held taut by the center guide pulley 43 mounted on shaft 44 that has its ends extending into slotted bearings 144 and under the tension of end-springs 45, only one of which is shown in the drawing; also the chain is arranged to extend over other guidepulleys 46 adjacent the top and bottom o-f the'bill board. v

Also arranged to mesh with the teeth of one of the lower gears `39 are the teeth 47 of'a mi'itilated gear 4301i the shaft 49. The shaft 49'carri'es a speed'reduction gear 50 that in turn meshes with the teeth of another muti lat-ed gear 51 on the shaft 52. rIhis shaft also carries a largey gear 53 that meshes with the teeth of a speed reduction gear 54 on the shaft 55 of a motor 56, as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 6.k Many of the parts of this drive are shown diagrammatically as intermittent drivesare old and well understood in the art, it being understood that the ratio of the drive is such as to advance the `films a one-fourth step leach time the shafts 36 are actuated.

Each unit is provided with end bearings 57,v

58 that support the end shafts 59, 60 on which the end drums 61 and 62 are mounted. Belts 63are extended over these drums and provided'with teeth 64 that are adapted toregister with and extendinto the spaced tooth holes 65 at opposite edges of the films 31 so that when driven the belts move theiilms. I arrangeY guide plates 66 at the rear of the units to hold the films so that the teeth of the belts properly engage the tooth holes.

' The iilms31 preferably are elongated, as shown in Fig. 6, and extend over the supporting rollers 67 rotatably mounted on the cross Vrods 68 secure-d to the side walls of the box units." The rollers are arranged so theyT hold the 'films iiush with the front yand rear ends of the units.

I provide anumber ofintermediate rollers 69 over which the film is extended, and also two weigh ted rollers 70 that have their bearing rodsl 68 loosely mounted in slots 71 in the ends, of the units so that their weights holdl vthe films taut. show, followed intermittentlyby the yellow A At thev front of the box units I provide 'spaced guides 7 2, 73 between which the films are "arranged tofslide when actuated and preferably 'the front glasses'72 are transparent, so that the advertising from the front of the bill board isr clearly visible.

Preferably `the rear glasses 7 3 are semitransparentso that the lightsf'rom the lamps 7 4 are diffused and softened.

The lamps 74 are arranged some distance back of the glasses 7 3 and are provided with reflectors 75 that'preferably are glass mirrors. f The means for lighting the lamps is old inthe art andtherefore is not described in the specification or sho-wn in the drawings.

' If desired the front glasses 72 ofthe film guides can have objects such as trees, clouds .or pictorial scenes painted .on their front panoramic scene on a film with an automobile 77 on a road which when moved in the direction of thearrow will disappear behind the tree 78 painted on the glass 72.

In Figs. 11, 13 and 14 I show a film made of sections that are connected together by clips 79 so that one or more sections of a film can be taken out and replaced with other sections that match at adjacent edges relative to pictorial matter. In order to simplify the matching of the edges of the film sections I provide symbols 8O and 81, the former indieating an all-land scene at the matching edges and the latter water and land scenes at the matching edges.

In Fig. 12 which is a section on line 12-12, F ig. 1, I show the film 531 and its driving mechanismk arranged to move the film horizontally instead of vertically, as shown in Fig. 6, in which instance the shafts 59 are arranged vertically instead of horizontally, and the driving connection between these shafts and the motor rearrange-d accordingly.

In Figs. 15 to 19 inclusiveI show the films 31 fixed to the front ends of the plates 128 with the latter interchangeableas to their position on the bill-board. The bill-board is provided with a back plate 83 in which there are spaced bolt holes 84 to receive the stud bolts 85 that are secured to the back of the plates 128, as best shown in Figs. 16, 18 and 19. The bolt holes and bolts are spaced so that the plates 128 are interchangeable with each other or can be replaced by similar sized plates. v

In Fig. 15 I show the bill-board with the plates provided with pictures, each complete in itself, arranged to matchat adjacent edges so as to form complete panoramic pictures eX- tending entireiy acrossv the billboard and each plate advertises a separate recreation resort, as indicated by the various names which are used only for the purpose of illustration.

The illustration in Fig. 17 is substantially the same as that shown in Fig. 15 except that I have changed the position of the plates to form different panoramic views associated with the same advertising. In other words in the top'row I have moved the plate adver- `tising the Breakers from the upper right to the upper left hand corner of the bill-board, and move d the other plates advertising Cove Point, Forest Inn7 and Signal Hill one step to the right. In the bottom row I have movedSunset Cliff from the lower left hand corner of-the bill-'board to the lower right hand corner and Lookout I have moved from the lower left hand corner to the lower right handy corner and Cliff by the Sea I have moved from the right center into left center, and Sunrise Point7 from left to right center, so that in both rows I form entirely new panoramicscenes. It is obvious that these plates 128 can be interchanged to form many such views.

The use and Voperation `of this improved bill-board` have been very fully described in the specification. The inventive features disclosed in the means for moving the films lwill be made the subject-matter of a separate application for U. S. Letters Patent.

I claim as my inventionr` Y 1.'v Abillboard including a vertically arranged frame, a plurality of interchangeable box units adapted to be placed adjacent each other and detachably secured in said frame so their pictorial sides are aligned with the front surface of said frame, and having panoramic pictorial advertising thereon formed to match at adjacent edges when arranged on the bill-board and interchangeable in position relative to each other.

2. A bill-board including a vertically arranged open faced frame, a back plate thereto, a plurality of interchangeable box units .adapted to be placed adjacent each other and detachably secured tosaid back plate so their pictorial sides are aligned with the face of said fra-me and having panoramic pictorial advertising thereon formed to match at adjacent side edges when arranged on the bill-board or interchanged in position relative to each other, said pictorial advertising having near its side edges similarly arranged pictoriall features that match when so interchanged.

.3. A bill-board including a vertically arranged open faced fra-me, a back plate thereto, aplurality of interchangeable 4box units adapted to be placed together edge to edge with their pictorial sides and aligned with the front surface of said'frame and having panoramic pictorial advertisingv thereon formed to match at adjacent side edges, means for detachably securing said units to said back plate so they are interchangeable with one another or with similar units, said units each having near its matching side edges the represent-ation of land, water, sky, roads and other pictorialfeatures of similar width so that the pictures will match when so interchanged. i

4. A bill-board including a vertically arranged frame having an open front, a plurality of interchangeable box units adapted to be placed adjacent each other so their front sides are aligned with the open front surface lll) of said trame and extending entirely o-ver it and having pictorial advertising thereon formed tol match at adjacent side edges so as to form panoramic views and having symbols near the matching edges of the pictures indicating which edges of the pictures may be matched vby bringing together edges of pictures having like symbols and means for intermittently moving the pictorial advertising to present an entirely different panoramic view. t

5. A billboard including a frame having a number of compartments therein, a plurality of interchangeable box units having front and rear ends adapted to bey secured in said compartments so the front ends are aligned with the face of said bill-board, rollers at the front and rear ends of said units, films carried by said rollers that are arranged to extend over the front and rear ends thereof and having pictorial advertising therein, weighted intermediate rollers arranged between said iront and rear rollers for holding said lilms taut, means for intermittently moving said film so as to pass the advertising thereon over the faces of said units, andlamps Jfor illuminating said films.

6. A bill-board including a frame having a number of compartments therein, a plurality of interchangeable box units having front and rear ends and adapted to be detachably secured in said compartments so the ront ends of said units are aligned with the tace of said bill-board, films carried by said units that are arranged to extendover the` front and rear ends of said units and having pictorial advertising thereon, means adjacent the ends of said units for intermittently moving said films, transparent guides at the front of said units between which saidfilms are extended so that movable pictorial advertising is visible over the entire front of the bill-board, and lamps adjacent said guides for the purpose specified.

7. A bill-board including a frame having an open front and a number of compartments therein, a plurality of interchangeable box units having front and rear ends and adapted to be detachably secured inA said compartments so that front ends of said box units are aligned with the face of said bill-board so the rear ends engage a common driving means, endless pictorial advertising films carried by said units that are arranged to extend over the front and rear ends of said units, end rollers on which said ilms are supported, intermediate suspended weighted rollers for holding said ltilms taut over the end rollers, and means adjacent the rear ends of said units for intermittently moving said films for the purpose specified.

8. A ybill-board including a frame having an open front and a number of rows of rectangular compartments therein, a plurality of interchangeable'box units detachabl'y secured in lsaid compartments so their front ends are alignedv with the face, ef'v said billboard, kendless pictorial advertising films, rollersin said box units for supporting said films, spaced glass guides at-the front of said units between which said films are extended so that movablepictorial advertising is visible over the entire front of the bill-board, and means for intermittently moving said films for the purpose specified.

9. A bill-board including a frame having an open. front and a number of rows ot rectangular compartments open at their front and rear ends, a plurality of interchangeable box units detachably secured in said compartments so they engage a common driving means, end rollers carried by said units, endless iilms supported on said guide rollers, spaced glass guides at the 'front of each of said units between which the films of each unit is extended and adapted to be moved, intermediate weighted rollers tor holding said films taut on said end rollers, a commen driving means adj acentthe rear ends ot said box units for intermittently moving said films, and means 'for illuminating said films they pass between their respective guides.

lO. A bill-board including a vertical trame having an open tace and a number of rows of rectangular compartments open at their front and rear ends, a plurality of rectangular interchangeable box units detachably se-y cured in said compartments so their front ends are aligned with the open face of said bill-board, rollers carried by said units, endless sectional i'ilms supported on said rollers that have pictorial advertising thereonwith adjacent edges matched to form unbroken panoramic views, spaced glass guides at the front ends of said units between which the respective film of each unit is extended and adapted to be moved, said outermost guides having objects painted thereon so that as the films are moved their pictorial advertising passes behind the objects painted on said guide, and a commen driving means adjacent the rear ends of said units for intermittently moving their films for the purpose specified.r

1l. A bill-boardincluding a vertical frame having an open face a number of rows of rectangular compartments open at their front box unit-s for holding said films taut, and a common driving means adjacent the rear ends of said box units for intermittently moving their films for the purpose specied.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto uf- .xed my signature.

GUSTAVUS W. ESGHENBACHL' 

